Since 1985, veteran publisher Linda F. Radke, owner of Five Star Publications, has been ahead of her game--self-publishing before it was commonplace, partnership publishing before the rest of the world even knew what it was and producing award-winning traditionally and nontraditionally published fiction and nonfiction manuscripts for adults and children.
Radke's odyssey to becoming one of the nation's leading consultants in the areas of book production, marketing, publicity and distribution began simply enough with the desire to print a few books to complement the household employment agency she owned. For Radke, who, on more than one occasion, has been teased about having "printer's ink in her veins," the experience of publishing the books was exhilarating, prompting her to change careers and launch Five Star Publications without looking back.
Eventually, Radke added services and acted as a publishing consultant for other self-publishers, ventured into traditional publishing and pioneered partnership publishing to allow her to publish more authors and make them a more integral part of the creative process of publishing.
Among her many accolades, Radke is author of The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing (a Writer's Digest Book Club selection that is now into its second edition) and Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show (a Doubleday Executive Program Book Club selection). She is a founding member of the Arizona Book Publishing Association and was named Book Marketer of the Year by Book Publicists of Southern California.
<p>Mice & Spiders & Webs...Oh My! Is your child a good listener? Rosemary is a little girl who is worried about returning to school after her teacher warns the class that they would soon have some mice, spiders, and webs in the classroom. Could Rosemary have misunderstood something? How can mice and spiders and webs belong at school? Full of "Computer Speak," this story introduces young readers to basic computer terms in a delightful way! See if your child can discover the mystery of the misunderstood words, and learn about the fun of computers with Rosemary. This is the seventh rhyming children's book by this award-winning author, whose other bestselling books include My Fingerpaint Masterpiece, Manner-Man, Gimme-Jimmy, The Magic Word, Peter and the Whimper-Whineys, and Santa's Birthday Gift. Former teacher Sherrill S. Cannon has won twenty-eight awards for her six previous rhyming books, and is also the author of seven published and internationally performed plays for elementary school children. She has been called "a modern day Dr. Seuss" by GTMA Review. "I love to teach, and this book teaches basic computer terms in a fun way. I am retired and spend six months of the year with my husband of 55 years, traveling from coast to coast and sharing books along the way. I grew up in The Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. , where my father was the manager. I'm the original Eloise!" Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/SherrillSCannon</p>
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) <br /><br /><strong>5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone aspiring to publish their own work, April 13, 2009</strong> <br /><br />Even in the present economic climate that has compelled the major publishing houses to cut back the numbers of titles they produce, it has never been easier to publish a book -- or sell one. In "The Economical Guide To Self-Publishing: How To Produce And Market Your Book On A Budget", Linda F. Radke draws upon her more than 24 years of experience and expertise as a publisher whose Five Star Publications has produced award-winning and commercially successful books that were traditionally published, self-published, and published through limited partnerships. The result is a compendium of solid, practical, step-by-step information that takes the aspiring author from manuscript to published book, and then on to the tasks of marketing, promotion, publicity, and sales. "The Economical Guide To Self-Publishing" covers such issues as transforming a manuscript into a typeset book; recruiting illustrators and editors; obtaining copyrights, ISBN numbers, and bar codes; getting printing bids; publishing as a home business; developing mailing lists; even handling interviews. Of special note is what "The Economical Guide To Self-Publishing" offers by way of strategies and tactics for effectively marketing a book on a limited budget. Enhanced with an appendix listing useful publications and associations for the self-published author, <strong><em>“The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing.”</em></strong> is highly recommended reading and an invaluable resource and 'do-it-yourself' reference for anyone aspiring to publish their own work.